


At a Glance

by Scarlet_Curls



Series: Always There for You - A Collection of Renora Oneshots [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Childhood Friends, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M, Gen, Jaune Arc's POV, Light Angst, Misunderstandings, Starvation, Volume 1 (RWBY)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:27:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29285274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlet_Curls/pseuds/Scarlet_Curls
Summary: It's only been a week since JNPR's formation, and Jaune and Pyrrha still don't know Ren and Nora that well. When they notice a pattern of Nora interrupting Ren's meditation, never allowing him a moment to speak, being too in his face, and asking him to go out of his way to cook for her when she had just eaten, her teammates try to intervene.
Relationships: Jaune Arc & Pyrrha Nikos, Jaune Arc & Pyrrha Nikos & Lie Ren & Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren & Nora Valkyrie
Series: Always There for You - A Collection of Renora Oneshots [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2150589
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	At a Glance

_It's ridiculous_ , Jaune thought, _that we already have this much study after only one week at Beacon._ He attempted to read the same paragraph over and over, but the words slipped away every time. His brain needed a break already, but if he didn't study now, he'd only look like even more of a fool in the next class. Should he ask Pyrrha for help? No, he didn't need to rely on her. He could do it himself. He could catch up to his teammates.

Pyrrha drafted her essay at the desk next to his. Ren and Nora lay in the same bed. Ren at the head, reading his textbook, and Nora at the foot, playing a game on her scroll as she hummed a cheerful tune. They often kept to themselves like their own little clique.

He resented Nora a little. At least he _tried_ to focus. At least he _tried_ to study. And yet, she did not. Always on her scroll, playing games or watching videos. Humming along to whatever song she listened to. When asked a question in class, she'd babble on until Ren cut her off to give the correct answer. Yes, she was amazing at combat, but as Oobleck hammered into their heads over and over again, that is not the complete making of a true huntress.

Ren however, did equally well at combat (though not without short stamina), and while he never volunteered to answer questions, he gave a neat, concise answer each time that Jaune appreciated. Why Ren would let someone like Nora drag him down was a complete mystery to Jaune. Maybe she didn't realise what she was doing, and Ren was too afraid to confront her. Some help from Jaune, brother of seven sisters, might help.

"Hey Ren," said Nora, still playing on her scroll "Can you make me a snack?"

 _We just had lunch!_ He looked over at Pyrrha, who shared his look of concern. She too had noticed how often Nora would interrupt Ren's study to ask for food when she shouldn't even be hungry.

Without a word, Ren bookmarked his textbook and headed off to the kitchen. Nora continued to play on her scroll.

Jaune leaned towards Pyrrha. "You think we should talk to her?"

She grimaced. "Yes, I believe we should."

They stood and approached her tentatively, the thought of her battle wrath looming in their subconscious. She could handle some gentle criticism, right?

"Hello, Nora," said Pyrrha, wearing her camera-ready smile.

Nora's eyes sparkled with their approach and she sprung up. "Hey guys! How's study going?"

"Very well. Thank-you for asking," said Pyrrha. "You?"

"Well, I've almost finished memorising all the important dates for the great war. Still got a lot of work to do though."

 _Maybe you'd be done if you didn't play on your scroll all the time,_ thought Jaune.

Pyrrha's smile never faltered. "And how is Ren's study?"

"Oh, he's already memorised everything," said Nora. "And his essay is almost done too. Though he's stuck on the third body paragraph, so he decided to do some background reading while he thinks about it, but he also doesn't really understand the causes of the Great War that well, and I was gonna explain it to him, but he hasn't told me when he'd like me to do it yet, and-"

"Sounds like he's still got a lot to do then," said Jaune.

Nora shrugged. "Maybe. He said that once I proofread his draft we can watch a movie together. Haven't decided which one yet though. Something with superheroes. X-ray and Vav, or The Huntsman, or-"

"That's nice," said Pyrrha, "but how are you doing?"

Nora, a little dejected from being cut off a second time, said, "I already told you."

"Yes, but I mean…"

She hesitated and looked to Jaune for help. He cleared his throat. "Is there a reason why you're still hungry, Nora?"

She shrugged. "No. Eating just helps me concentrate better."

"We've noticed you've asked Ren to make you food a lot lately," said Jaune.

Nora tilted her head. "Yeah?"

"We're worried you might be asking too much of him," said Pyrrha.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you always ask when he's studying, or cleaning, sometimes meditating."

Nora's face reddened. "I guess… He doesn't mind though."

Jaune tilted his head. "Are you sure?"

Nora's head sunk into her shoulders as she stared down at her clasped hands. "He'd tell me if I was bothering him. At least, I think he would." She looked back up at her teammates, and her voice cracked a little. "Did he tell you something about me?"

"No, no, of course not," assured Pyrrha. "We're just worried that maybe you're… taking his good nature for granted?"

Nora stood suddenly, glaring at the both of them. "Yeah? Well you're not the first to think that." She stormed out of the dorm room and slammed the dorm behind her.

Pyrrha stared at the door, stunned. "Did we do something wrong?"

"As the leader, I don't wanna bad mouth my teammate," said Jaune, "But it's her problem if she won't accept criticism."

Pyrrha frowned. "It does seem like she's had this conversation before."

Jaune groaned. "I'm sure Nora has a lot of great qualities, but she's acting so self-centred right now."

Pyrrha sighed. "I hate to say it, but I can see your point. Ren deserves better than this."

"Do I?"

Pyrrha yelped as she and Jaune span around to face Ren, who was holding a plate with a bahn mi sandwich. His expression was blank for the most part, but his gaze was hard and cold, striking anxiety into the hearts of his teammates.

"Ren!" squeaked Pyrrha. "I see that you've made Nora's snack. How lovely!"

"What happened here?" Ren asked sternly as he put the plate on Nora's cluttered bedside table.

"We were only trying to help you," Jaune stuttered. Pyrrha nodded vigorously with everything Jaune said. "We've noticed that Nora tends to ask a lot of unnecessary favours of you when you're busy."

Ren plopped onto the nearest bed and pinched the bridge of his nose with both hands. His eyes were scrunched tightly shut, as if he was holding back an unspeakable rage. The silence hung thick and heavy in the air, paralysing Jaune and Pyrrha. A beige hue washed over Ren's figure and faded away. Finally, he spoke.

"Have you ever watched someone starve?"

They tentatively shook their heads.

"I have," said Ren, as his hands fell from his face. He stared at the bahn mi, cut down the middle and spread apart to reveal a carefully crafted intersection. "I watched as my best friend refused scrap after scrap, insisting that I needed it more. She was used to the pain, she said. I watched her become skin and bone, faint on a daily basis, become too weak to move."

Pyrrha's hands were clasped over her mouth, and Jaune ran his hands nervously through his hair.

"That is why I will always cook for her whenever she asks," he said. "Even if I'm cramming for finals. Even if both my arms are broken." The two responded with looks of concern. "Nora will never ask anything of me then, but that doesn't change a thing."

"We had no idea how much she means to you," said Pyrrha.

"We're so sorry, Ren," said Jaune. "I-"

Ren raised a palm to silence him. "I know you both meant well, and I appreciate it, but I'm not the one you should be apologising to." He stood, took the sandwich plate, and left the dorm.

A few minutes later, he and Nora returned. She clutched her sandwich close to her face, slowly chewing instead of wolfing it down like she usually would. Ren expertly caught all falling pieces with the plate he held so the carpet wouldn't be ruined.

Nora swallowed and placed the half-eaten bahn mi on the plate. "I'm not hungry anymore." Ren raised an eyebrow at her, as if asking if she was sure. "I'm fine, Ren. Really."

Ren nodded and looked to Pyrrha and Jaune. "I'll take this," he raised the plate, "back to the kitchen." He left without another word.

Nora stood in the middle of the room, huddled to herself. She tapped her index fingers together nervously. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"No." Pyrrha rushed forward. "I'm sorry."

"We're sorry." Jaune stepped forward and placed a hand on Nora's shoulder, causing her to relax. "We had no right to assume."

"Well," said Nora with a chuckle, "You're not the first. And you won't be the last. No one really understands our relationship."

"But we want to," said Pyrrha earnestly. "You, Jaune, and Ren are the closest I've had to friends in a long time." She shrunk back to rub the back of her neck. "Forgive me if my friendship skills are, well, a little rusty."

"Ditto," said Jaune. "Not much room for friendships when you have seven sisters."

Nora giggled as she wiped away her tears. "I'm not good at friendship either," she confessed. "I only ever had Ren."

"And I, Nora." Ren leaned against the door frame, smiling at the trio. "Until now."

"Oh Ren, you sap," teased Nora, jogging over to Ren. "Get in here." She seized his wrist and dragged him towards Pyrrha and Jaune. Somehow, her tiny frame trapped them in a crushing group hug, causing her teammates to wince in pain. "Thank-you so much!"

"Yes yes," said Ren, voice strained. "Don't you have an essay to help with?"

Nora's eye's snapped open. "That's right!" She released them, and they all took great gulps of air. "Where's your scroll?"

Ren pointed at the bedside draw it was hidden in. Nora fetched it and punched in his passcode, causing Jaune and Pyrrha to share a glance. Nora patted the bed beside her. "C'mon. Let's go through it together this time." Ren shrugged and joined her.

Their teammates watched as the two argued over seemingly insignificant things, like the Oxford comma, but this time, they saw the joy in their faces, heard the teasing undertones, and saw the playful swats and gestures between them.

Pyrrha sighed contentedly. "Beautiful couple, aren't they?"

Jaune nodded, a warmth in his chest. "Yeah."

As the days and weeks went by, Jaune and Pyrrha made sure to take a closer look at the couple, especially Nora. The game she played was a revision exercise she had coded herself, which soon became a favourite in the JNPR dorm and RWBY's as well. The answers she gave in class were actually quite spot on, even if Ren had to summarise her rambles with a sentence.

Finally, when Ren sprained his wrist during training one day, even when her grumbling stomach was audible from across the room, she never asked Ren to make her anything, even though he insisted a few times. Instead she brought him tea and never allowed his cup to be empty. The entire interaction was under the guise of bickering and apathy, but to those who observed carefully, it was clear that they were lucky to have each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Ah yes. Ren and Nora, who definitely are not together-together, accidentally hoodwinking their peers into believing it to be so. Oh how I love them.
> 
> I wrote this story because I felt like a lot of people greatly misunderstand Nora's character (and thus Renora's dynamic), like she's a dumbass who would smash first and ask questions later. Not the case! She's so much more than that.


End file.
